Welcome back to another Duane’s Pit Stop. This week we have good info on my Best Punk band ever, Fugazi as well as some indie bands that may be touring around your neck of the woods.
I also wanted to talk about a band who surprised me this past weekend, The Devil Dogs. Some years back in Downtown Los Angeles in the Artist area..way before it all had become incorporated (F`N Yuppies) as it is now, there used to be a very tight bond within that community where you would have some of the best Bars like Al’s Bar and The Clubhouse as well as some killer Summer block Parties where damn good bands would play outside throughout a whole weekend. In the center of all of this was the band The Devil Dogs, with Alberto on Bass with his Brooklyn Jerry Garcia gaze and Jessie on Lead guitar and lead vocals doing his infamous Men in Black look. Their gigs were a genuine get together within the Art Community, which also meant some serious partying was going down that night. Well, this past Friday night I ran into good ol`Jessie along with some of his buds at a bar in Downtown Los Angeles called Little Pedro’s. He had mentioned that the Devil Dogs were scheduled to play the very next night at the same place, so I said why not and low and behold the next evening they Rocked Little Pedro’s to the wee hours of the night. Awww, seems like old times back in Downtown LA again.
Humm Al’s Bar is now some BS health Bar ( go figure) and the Clubhouse dissolved. Last I checked, the only street festivals are some Burning Man Hippie BS (not kidding). Having talked with both Alberto and Jessie, it seems The Devil Dogs are once again making rounds back to LA. “Cheers fellas” and with that note let’s get to the news…
And oh buy the way I must have been really shitfaced Saturday night because I had ended up buying Jessie’s old 1964 Mercury Comet Convertible piece of shit car…PICTURES ON NEXT WEEKS PIT STOP.
Fugazi NEWS – A flood of recent internet postings, Fugazi has not broken up. Over the years the band has circulated in and out of active recording and touring according to the ebb and flow of their personal lives. Two band members now have families with children and currently their concerns are being put above the band's. As of this moment Fugazi is not actively playing or recording but that doesn't mean the band won't become active again in a year, two or possibly never....such is life.
Members of Fugazi have always made music outside the band and will continue to do so. Ian is currently playing in a duo with Amy Farina (ex-Warmers) called the Evens, Brendan has been playing with Amy Domingues and Jerry Busher in Garland of Hours, Joe recorded an album with Black Sea (now called Decahedron) feautring ex-Frodus members Jason and Shelby, and Guy performed with members of The Ex at a jazz festival in Austria.
Beauty Pill – Have finished their new album, "The Unsustainable Lifestyle." The album is scheduled to come out in the US on March 15, 2004. In the meantime the band is booking a tour to the west coast for april and are already writing new material.
Black Eyes - After an epic fall tour schedule that saw them playing shows all over the US and Europe the Black Eyes headed straight into Inner Ear studios this January with Ian and Don and recorded a new full length that should be out in late spring. This band continues to push the boundaries and this recording will thrill and horrify friends and foes alike. We're sold. Black Eyes will be playing local shows and going on weekend excursions but will not tour thoroughly until at least summer.
Q and Not U - Have finished a busy year of touring and are currently working on new songs. The band plans to get into the studio to record a new album sometime early this year and is currently making plans to tour Europe, the states and South Africa in 2004.
El Guapo – Has also been touring almost non stop. The band will be doing more east coast dates in February and will be recording again quite soon.
Lungfish - Have still been receiving tons of positive feedback, both for their live shows and for their new album, "Love is Love." They remain more active on the road than they have been in years and will be doing several shows in the north east in February. Click here for dates.
Daniel Higgs (from Lungfish) has recorded a solo album of jews harp improvisations that will be released on Ian MacKaye's new label, Northern Liberties.
Et At It, - Who feature former members of Metamatics and Meltdown will also have a debut CD released on Northern Liberties.
The Warmers - Who featured Alec MacKaye, Amy Farina and Juan Carrera, will be releasing on Dischord a 6-song CD of their last demos recorded at the Pirate House studio in 1996-97.
Decahedron (formerly The Black Sea) will be touring the US all of Feb and then again in April. Johnathon Ford who was in Unwed Sailor and Roadside Monument will be playing bass for them. Their full length on Lovitt is due out in April.
The Rah Bras' 3 EPS – Have all been remastered and compiled onto one CD that should be released sometime this Spring. Sam McPheeters (Vermiform, Born Against, Wrangler Brutes) is doing the artwork.
Bats & Mice – Will be recording a new EP for Lovitt next month to be released in early summer. The band will be touring Europe in late spring.
Ben Davis – Will be touring Japan in March to support his recent record, "Aided & Abetted."
Pinebender – Are working on writing some new songs at the moment and will be doing some shows with Denali next month.
The Casual Dots – Who feature Christina Bilotte (Slant 6, Quix*o*tic), Kathy Wilcox (Bikini Kill) and Steve Dorr (Deep Lust) will have a CD released on Kill Rock Stars early this year.
Measles Mumps Rubella - Will have a new CD-EP/12" available on Troubleman Records in late February.
Devin and Chad from Faraquet - Have formed a new band called Medications. Chad has moved from drums to bass and the band has been playing regularly in DC.
The Bronx – MusicTAP Exclusive – As reported on last weeks Pit Stop, The Bronx were scheduled to play in Alex’s Bar in Long Beach, CA show but due to circumstances beyond control they had to cancel. Here’s a statement directly from The Bronx Website.
"All shows planned for this week are still happening. pull up your socks, we'll see you there."
Unfortunately we've had to pull out of Saturday’s Alex’s bar show [long beach] and Monday’s DIW benefit show [San Francisco] - both shows will still happen without us. matt was involved in a car accident and broke his nose, then came down with strep throat - yeah, that shit sucks. stay posted for updates on next week's other shows.
1/29/04
Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA
9081 Santa Monica Blvd.
Cost: $10 advance / $12 day of show
w/ Fu Manchu
1/30/04
The Casbah in San Diego, CA
2501 Kettner Blvd.
Age: 21+
w/ TSOL & Red Tape
1/31/04
The Allen Theater in Southgate, CA
3809 Tweedy Blvd.
w/ TSOL & Red Tape
2/1/04
SLO Brewing Co. in San Luis Obispo, CA
1119 Garden St.
Age: All Ages
w/ TSOL & Red Tape
2/3/04
House of Blues (Anaheim) in Anaheim, CA
1530 S. Disneyland Dr.
Age: All Ages (16+)
w/ Melee & The Glimmer Stars
2/7/04
QMU in Glasgow, Scotland
w/ Lostprophets & Avenged Sevenfold
2/8/04
Newcastle University in Newcastle, UK
w/ Lostprophets & Avenged Sevenfold
2/9/04
Astoria in London, UK
w/ Lostprophets & Avenged Sevenfold
Hat Trick's new record - Pre-orders for the new Hat Trick full length are soon to be taken through their official website www.hat-trick.com. So watch out for that. Also, you can expect approximately 40 songs as a double disc record. That's right, you get the buy for the buck with this monsterous attempt. And rumor has it you get a free t-shirt when you pre-order the record. Check out www.hat-trick.com to see the title of the new record and details.
New EP & Website for Final Round - Northern Illinois' The Bruce Chi Affair have reinvented themselves as Final Round after the addition of new drummer Jake Smith. The foursome recently finished recording an 8-song EP entitled "Fanservice" produced and engineered by Dan Precision s:Rise+Against Break the Silence 88 Fingers Louie at Chicago's Bombshelter studios. A release date for the EP has not yet been set, but the band will be filming a video for the first single, "Smiles & Glances" in February, and a tour is expected to follow.
For more info, visit the new Final Round site: www.thefinalround.com
Dead By Stereo - The Death By Stereo band will be heading-out with fellow hardcore heroes Bleeding Through and Himsa. This is quite a brutal line-up, so if you’re into all things loud, fast and obnoxious…this tour is for you. Get all confirmed dates at the link below.
http://www.epitaph.com/toursevents/index.php?bid=21
The Stereo's Gone Metal - The Stereo's gone metal? Apparently so...This ain't nu-metal garbage either. It seems as if all the European touring has sent Jamie's songwriting prowess in a new direction. See their website at www.thestereoonline.com for more details.
Emery "The Weak's End" Website - Tooth & Nail's first release of the new year is the highly anticipated debut album from Seattle's Emery. "The Weak's End" hit stores this week, and in celebration of the release, the label have launched www.Theweaksend.com . The site is your one stop destination for all things Emery.
Not only can you listen to the album , but you can watch videos, download Emery goodies, and much more! This is an amazing website, so don't miss it...and don't forget to pick up the album.
http://www.theweaksend.com.
No Motiv Video - The full version of the new No Motiv video "Into The Darkness" directed by Maureen Egan and Matthew Barry has now been released. You can see the low and high versions below. As you probably already know their new album "Daylight Breaking" was released this week.
Equal Vision Tour In The Works - Equal Vision will be throwing a tour with bands from their label. Bands participating are Bane, Armor For Sleep, Silent Driver, and Liars Academy. Dates will be posted when they're announced.
The Anniversary Breaks Up - Lawrence.com has announced that damn dirty hippies The Anniversary have disbanded. Singer/guitarist Josh Berwanger confirmed the demise via email to lawrence.com earlier this week. The members of the defunct group are already moving onto new projects.
Berwanger has formed a new group called Josh Berwanger and the Holy Ghosts, which contains The Anniversary's rhythm section of James David and Christian Jankowski as well as blues guitarist TK Webb and Hot Rod Circuit axeman Casey Prestwood. The group will enter the studio on March 25th to record a full-length album.
The other singer/guitarist of the Anniversary, Justin Roelofs, has also been spending time recording solo material with Boston-based singer/songwriter named Pink Nasty.
Bad Religion Re-release Albums Confirmed - The official Bad Religion site announces what we already know: “Get ready -- this April, Bad Religion will be re-releasing completely re-mixed and re-mastered versions of How Could Hell Be Any Worse, Suffer, No Control, Against The Grain, AND Generator! Also coming is a re-issue of the Along The Way video on DVD. It all hits stores on April 6th!”
